Most Russians Believe They Can’t Influence Political Decisions, the Powerful Don’t care about Ordinary People, and that Moscow Tries to Solve Its Problems at Expense of the Regions, Club of the Regions Monitoring Finds

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Nov. 3 – Seventy-two percent of Russians believe “most citizens can’t influence political processes,” 64 percent say that “those in power don’t care about ordinary people,” and 47 percent believe that “the main thing for those in power in Moscow is to solve their problems at the expense of the regions,” Club of Regions monitoring finds.

            The survey, conducted last May but only just now reviewed by the Club of Regions portal, also found that only 23 percent of the population is satisfied with political arrangements in Russia, 47 percent say here are a lot of shortcomings but these must be dealt with gradually, and only 19 percent say there is a need for radical change immediately (club-rf.ru/news/65542).

            Forty-nine percent of Russians trust the Russian government, but 36 percent say they do not. As for the Duma, only 28 percent trust it while 53 percent do not. A pattern similar to that for the Duma exists regarding political parties, the media, banking and business, although support for Putin and the army is much higher, 72 percent and 69 percent respectively.

            Perhaps the most important finding of this monitoring, however, is to be found elsewhere: it calls into question “the widespread belief that support for the current government is higher among lower-income people” rather than those with enough money to meet all their needs. 38.5 percent of the latter back the current government, but only 13.6 percent of the former do.